Slugs
Re: Slugs & Snails!!! UGH!!!
Liz Barrow
969 0
I have tried everything - coffee grounds, eggshells, copper tape, sharp sand, proprietary slug repellents.......but have found none of it effective. The only thing which works for me is to go out at dusk on summer evenings with a torch and a plastic container and pick off all the slugs and snails. I don't like to kill them so I store them overnight in the container and then release them in the park next morning (not too close to home in case they return!). It seemed like a lot of bother at first but I got into the routine with it and it did result in much fewer of my veg and herbs being eaten than last year. But you do have to do it every night - amazing that you can remove 50 slugs/snails but another 50 are back the next night! Snails you can pick up with your hand but for slugs I used a little stick to hook them up, or otherwise a plastic glove. I don't bother the rest of the year, just summer when I am trying to protect my salad and veg crops. I only have a small garden but I would say it took me 20 mins at least every evening to find a box full - they are very good at hiding in all sorts of places!
Posted: Wednesday 4th of November 2015 08:25 AM
Re: Re: Slugs & Snails!!! UGH!!!
Shoot User
969 0
Thank you Carol, I will try this. I was also told that having deep pot trays under pots that are always filled to the brim with water helps keeps slugs & snails away as they can't swim! It's a constant battle!!!
Posted: Sunday 11th of August 2013 09:46 AM
969 1
It's one of the 'organic' methods that can work. I tend to put it on the surface of pots with plants that are very attractive to slugs - but it doesn't seem to work quite so well on the borders.
Posted: Saturday 10th of August 2013 10:34 PM
Slugs & Snails!!! UGH!!!
Shoot User
969 2
I've heard that ground coffee scattered around plants will keep away slugs & snails. Is this true & should I head off to Costa coffee to get free sack full of the stuff????
Thanks
Thanks
Posted: Saturday 10th of August 2013 08:30 PM Last reply: Saturday 1st of March 2025 02:30 AM
Re: Slugs have devoured my hostas
Fannie Leigh
4631 0
An old gardener I met on a stall at a garden fair had the answer. Put slug pellets down on Valentine'd Day. Then you catch them out of the egg so to speak. This year was exceptionally bad because of the rain. Personally, I go out after dark with a torch and hand pick them off. 2985 so far this year - but the Hostas are looking good!
Posted: Saturday 6th of October 2012 05:38 PM
Re: Re: Re: Slugs have devoured my hostas
Angie Robertson
4631 0
If I may add my shillings worth....is there a spot nearby you could leave the foliage you cut off? Slugs are quite lazy and as well as liking new young shoots they also enjoy the rotting ones. I tried this earlier in the year and found it worked. It didnt wOrk miracles but on checking under the rotting leaves over a few weeks I found quite a few slugs.
Another word of warning don't use too many slug pellets at once because they attract the slugs. This is how the pellets work.
Cheers
Angie
Another word of warning don't use too many slug pellets at once because they attract the slugs. This is how the pellets work.
Cheers
Angie
Posted: Monday 25th of July 2011 11:18 PM Last reply: Monday 25th of July 2011 11:19 PM
Re: Re: Slugs have devoured my hostas
Shoot User
4631 1
Thanks so much for the reply.
Yes - I know you're absolutely right about future prevention...I'm afraid it was just total inexperience on my part. This my first summer gardening and I had no idea of what a threat slugs posed to Hostas! I have now bought slug pellets, and am reapplying regularly.
It's good to know that I can prune back the unsightly shredded leave though.
Thank you!
Yes - I know you're absolutely right about future prevention...I'm afraid it was just total inexperience on my part. This my first summer gardening and I had no idea of what a threat slugs posed to Hostas! I have now bought slug pellets, and am reapplying regularly.
It's good to know that I can prune back the unsightly shredded leave though.
Thank you!
Posted: Monday 25th of July 2011 09:08 PM
Re: Slugs have devoured my hostas
Valerie Munro
4631 1
you can prune out the damaged leaves, but you must also address the question of controlling slugs at the same time - otherwise your brand new leaves will get nobbled as well.
If your hosta is in a pot, you can stick copper tape around the outside rim of the pot - this will stop the slugs and snails crossing the 'line'. However if you are going to do this, look carefully at the undersides of the leaves (or what remains of them) as there could be the odd snail hiding there, and he/she will not be put off by the copper tape.
If the plant is in the ground then I would sprinkle slug pellets around it and be prepared to renew these every 7 days or so, especially if we have had heavy rain.
I hope that this helps.
Auntie Planty
twitter @THEauntieplanty
If your hosta is in a pot, you can stick copper tape around the outside rim of the pot - this will stop the slugs and snails crossing the 'line'. However if you are going to do this, look carefully at the undersides of the leaves (or what remains of them) as there could be the odd snail hiding there, and he/she will not be put off by the copper tape.
If the plant is in the ground then I would sprinkle slug pellets around it and be prepared to renew these every 7 days or so, especially if we have had heavy rain.
I hope that this helps.
Auntie Planty
twitter @THEauntieplanty
Posted: Monday 25th of July 2011 06:40 PM
Slugs have devoured my hostas
Shoot User
4631 2
My hostas have been decimated by slugs. One or two are already growing new leaves - can I cut the eaten laves back to aloow the new ones more room to grow? The eaten ones look awful.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Posted: Monday 25th of July 2011 01:47 PM Last reply: Wednesday 2nd of April 2025 04:56 PM